Vehicle-wheel.



Nn. 7n5,|76. Patented luly 22j, |992.

C. H. WHEELER & F. WyKREMER. VEHICLE WHEEL.

\Appl ication filed May 20, 1901. Renewed Apr. 28, 1902.) (No Model.)

l ZZ! UNITED STATES ATENT ERICE.

oHARLEs H; WHEELER AND FRANKLIN W. KREMER, OE AKRON, OHIO, sAID WHEELER AssIeNOR 'ro THE INDIA RUBBER COMPANY, OE AKRON,

OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

VEHICLE-'WHEEL SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 705,1"76, dated July 22, 1902.

Original application filed May 4,1900, Serial No. 15,445. l Divided and this application iiled May 20,1901. Renewed April a i 23,1902. Serial No. 105,003. `(No Infidel.) i A To all whom, it 12v/ay concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES H. WHEELER, residing at No. 208Silv`er street, and FRANK- LIN W. KREMER,`residing at No. 100 Rosedale Place, in the city of Akron, county of Summit, and State of Ohio, citizensof the United States, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Vehicle-lVheels, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to vehicle- Wheels and tires.

Primarily the obj ect of the invention is to provide a Wheel and tire particularly adapted for use in connection with comparatively 15 heavy vehicles, such as automobiles. The invention is not limited, however, to use in connection with automobiles, as it may be found advantageous to use the same in connection with bicycles, tricycles, and similar like conze structions.

The object of the invention is also to provide a vehicle with new and improved means for securing a rubber tire in position on the wheel-rim. `To this end instead of making e 5 the usual channel in a single piece We make the rim of several parts to constitute the channel and provide coacting devices for securing the channel members, rim, andtire together.

ln the drawings accompanying this specilication we have illustrated constructions embodying the principles of the present invention. While said drawings illustrate constructions which We have actually made and found to be practicable, it will be understood that We do not limit ourselves to the precise forms shown.,

In said drawings, Figure l is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in longitudinal central section, of the structure shown in Fig.

4o 3. Figs. 2 and 3 are views in cross-section- In said drawings like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views thereof.

Referring to said drawings in detail, and

especially to Fig. l, A designates a pneumatic tire, which is here shown of the single-tube type; but it will of course be apparent that the invention is not limited to pneumatic tires, as the channel members and the means for securing them tothe rim and the tire in 5o position are equally applicable to solid tires. Said tire is provided with a securing basepiece a, having, as illustrated in thedrawings,

at each side a circumferential groove a. Circumferentially spaced apart along the inner face of the base-piece are transverse recesses o?, into Which iit corresponding lugs formed on the wheel-rim.

B designates the wheel-rim, consisting, as here shown, of the Wooden felly b and the 6o metal rim b, the metal rim being provided with projecting lugs b2, extending transversely across the metal rim b and fitting in the recesses a2 of` the tire. On each side of the felly is secured one of the tWo seating and retaining members C, the outer peripheries of `which project beyond the periphery of the rim and constitute With the rim the channel Within which the tire is seated. Each of these channel members is provided with an in- 7o wardly-projecting circumferential shoulder c, engaging the groove a', formed in the tire, and (inthe case of a pneumatic tire) each is provided with an outwardly-curved seating portionc', `terminating in a bent-Over lip'c2. 75 These members C may be secured in any desired manner, as by bolts c3. It will be understood, of course, that these channel mem bers may be made in sections, if desired.

Oircumferentially extending around the 8o tire, at the tread portion thereof, (in the case of a pneumatic tire,) is a continuous band D, of metal, Whichconstitutes a shoe for the pur pose of protecting the tire against puncture, affording a wearing-surface and at the same 8 5 time coacting Withthe tire-channel to withstand the internal air-pressure of the tire. This band or shoe D is shown as curved to the circle of the tire and extending laterally about one-sixth the circumference of the tire 9o on each side of the central line of the tread.

It is provided with the bent-over lips d and a sOund-deadening strip d', which may be of rubber or any suitable material.

The functions of each of the details of construction will be apparent from the following:

In assembling the parts one of the members C is first secured to the felly, the tire placed on the rim of the wheel from the opposite side, with its recesses o.2 engaging the lugs b2, and then forced down upon the member C until the shoulder c thereof is seated in the tire-groove 0.. The opposite member C is then placed in position, with its shoulder c engaging the corresponding groove a. The two members C are then secured together by the bolts c3, and in connection with this it will be understood that the thickness of the basepieoe of the tire may be somewhat in excess of the distance between the two members C when they are in final position, so as to obtain any desired amount of clamping action. If the tire is a pneumatic tire, the band or shoe D is now placed in position over the tread portion of the tire and inflated. As the tire is inflated it expands until the outer shoe or band is frictionally heldin position thereby. The inflation may nowgo on until the desired cushioning strength of the tire is obtained, the greater the internal airpressure the stronger the frictional contact between the tire and the band or shoe D. In practice we have depended upon this frictional contact to secure the band D in position; but, if desired, the band D and the outer periphery of the tire may be provided with coacting parts to positively prevent longitudinal motion of said band relatively to the tire. It will be seen that the outer band D and the seating channel members C protect the tire for a considerable portion of its circumference, except along the exposed space between the bentover lips c2 of the channels and the similar lips of the band D. This space permits of the yielding action necessary to obtain the pneumatic cushioning effect. As an additional safeguard to prevent the unseating of the tire there are shown lmetal pieces a4 as secured in the base-piece and extending underneath the inwardly-projecting shoulders c of the members C.

In Fig. 2 we have illustrated the construction embodying the invention as applied to a double-tube tire. In this construction the air-confining tube is designated by the letter E and is provided with thickened side walls. On the outside of this air-tube an upturned hook e is secured, this hook engaging with a downwardly-turned hook e', secured to the inner face of the outer tube. The object of thickening the side walls of the inner tube is to vcause said tube in deilating to collapse iuwardly and carry with it the outer tube. Therefore in case of extraordinary accident causing a puncture or the intentional mutilation of the tire it would collapse inwardly and form arubber cushion between the outer band or shoe D and the seating members C. Under these conditions the bent-over lips of the shoe or band D are adapted to come in contact with the lips of the members C to form a positive support for the vehicle. In said Fig. 2 the outer tube is cut circumferentially through the center of the base-piece. After being cut it is openedout and the reininternal air-pressure is withstood by the walls i of the tire alone and effectually prevents the layers of reinforcing fabric from detaching from each other or from the rubber wall.

The advantages of our invention will be obvious. cesses c2 and the rim with the lugs b2 the tire is prevented from moving longitudinally relatively to the rim when the parts are secured together. The channel members C, provided with shoulders, positively hold the tire to thel rim uniformly throughout each and every portion ofits length. The outer band or shoe D forms an absolute preventive of punctures o f the tire at the tread portion,constitutes a wearing-piece, takes up and distributes the supporting and driving strains throughout alarge portion of the circumference of the wheel, and, acting in conjunction with the extended curved seat of the members C and the internal air-pressure of the tire, helps to hold the tire in position. The turned over lips of the band D, together with the turned-over lips of the members C, form a lateral guard for the exposed portion of the tire between them.

'Of course we do not by the specific description of the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated in this application intend to limit the invention thereto, as probably other forms of tire-esolid, cushion, or pneumatic-as well as securing parts, may be devised without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination of a rim, a tire provided with a base-piece, transverse recesses formed in said base-piece, corresponding transverse pieces engaging said recesses, a channel composed of two side members secured to the rim, each of said side members being provided with ashoulder engaging a corresponding groove formed in the tire, and transverse rods in the base-piece of the tire, the ends of said rods extending under the shoulders of the side members, substantially as specified.

2. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination of a rim, a tire provided with abase-piece, transverse recesses formed in said base-piece, corresponding transverse pieces engaging said recesses, a channel composed of two side members secured to the rim, each of said side members being provided with a shoulder engaging a corresponding groove formed in the tire, transverse rods in the base-piece of the tire, the ends of said rods extending under the shoulders of the side members, and an outside band or shoe, substantially as specified.

3. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination of a rim, a tire provided with a base-piece, transverse recesses formed in said base-piece, cor- By providing the tire with the rey IIC responding lugs on the rim engaging said recesses, a channel composed of two side members secured to the rim, each of said side inembers being provided with a shoulder engaging a corresponding groove formed in the tire, transverse rods in the base-piece of the tire, the ends of said rods extending under the shoulders ofthe side members, the outer edges of the side members beingturned over to form lips, substantially as specified.

4. In a vehicle-wheel, the combination of a channel, a pneumatic tire seated therein, an outside band or shoe, said pneumatic tire con sisting of an air-tube having thickened side Walls, and an outer envelop, and means for positively engaging the outer surface of the air-tube with the inner surface of the envelop, 

